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Peculiar combinations of individually non-pathogenic missense mitochondrial DNA variants cause low penetrance Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

ABSTRACT: We here report on the existence of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) associated with peculiar combinations of individually non-pathogenic missense mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants, affecting the MT-ND4, MT-ND4L and MT-ND6 subunit genes of Complex I. The pathogenic potential of these mtDNA haplotypes is supported by multiple evidences: first, the LHON phenotype is strictly inherited along the maternal line in one very large family; second, the combinations of mtDNA variants are unique to the two maternal lineages that are characterized by recurrence of LHON; third, the Complex I-dependent respiratory and oxidative phosphorylation defect is co-transferred from the proband's fibroblasts into the cybrid cell model. Finally, all but one of these missense mtDNA variants cluster along the same predicted fourth E-channel deputed to proton translocation within the transmembrane domain of Complex I, involving the ND1, ND4L and ND6 subunits. Hence, the definition of the pathogenic role of a specific mtDNA mutation becomes blurrier than ever and only an accurate evaluation of mitogenome sequence variation data from the general population, combined with functional analyses using the cybrid cell model, may lead to final validation. Our study conclusively shows that even in the absence of a clearly established LHON primary mutation, unprecedented combinations of missense mtDNA variants, individually known as polymorphisms, may lead to reduced OXPHOS efficiency sufficient to trigger LHON. In this context, we introduce a new diagnostic perspective that implies the complete sequence analysis of mitogenomes in LHON as mandatory gold standard diagnostic approach.

SUBMITTER: Caporali L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5828459 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Peculiar combinations of individually non-pathogenic missense mitochondrial DNA variants cause low penetrance Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

Caporali Leonardo L Iommarini Luisa L La Morgia Chiara C Olivieri Anna A Achilli Alessandro A Maresca Alessandra A Valentino Maria Lucia ML Capristo Mariantonietta M Tagliavini Francesca F Del Dotto Valentina V Del Dotto Valentina V Zanna Claudia C Liguori Rocco R Barboni Piero P Carbonelli Michele M Cocetta Veronica V Montopoli Monica M Martinuzzi Andrea A Cenacchi Giovanna G De Michele Giuseppe G Testa Francesco F Nesti Anna A Simonelli Francesca F Porcelli Anna Maria AM Torroni Antonio A Carelli Valerio V

PLoS genetics 20180214 2

We here report on the existence of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) associated with peculiar combinations of individually non-pathogenic missense mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants, affecting the MT-ND4, MT-ND4L and MT-ND6 subunit genes of Complex I. The pathogenic potential of these mtDNA haplotypes is supported by multiple evidences: first, the LHON phenotype is strictly inherited along the maternal line in one very large family; second, the combinations of mtDNA variants are unique ...[more]

PMID: 29444077

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Project description:PurposeTo investigate the role of mitochondrial haplotypes in the development of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) associated with the ND4 G11778A mutation in Chinese families.DesignEight Han Chinese families with maternally transmitted LHON were studied using clinical, genetic, and molecular evaluations.ParticipantsOne hundred sixty-seven subjects from 8 Chinese families with a wide age range and severity of visual impairment.MethodsAll subjects underwent the clinical and genetic evaluation, as well as molecular analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).Main outcome measuresThe ophthalmologic examinations included visual acuity, visual field examination, visual evoked potentials, and fundus photography. Mitochondrial DNA analysis included the polymerase chain reaction amplification of the entire mtDNA and subsequent sequence determination.ResultsEight families exhibited extremely low penetrance of visual impairment, with the average of 13%. In particular, 14 (12 males and 2 females) of 119 matrilineal relatives in these families exhibited the variable severity and age at onset in visual dysfunction. The average age of onset of vision loss was 17 years. Molecular analysis of mtDNA identified the homoplasimic ND4 G11778A mutation and distinct sets of variants belonging to the Asian haplogroups M8a2, D4g2, B4a1c, B5b, N9a1, D4b2b, C, and M7b1. However, there was an absence of secondary LHON-associated mtDNA mutations in these 8 Chinese families.ConclusionsThe extremely low penetrance of vision loss in these 8 Chinese pedigrees strongly indicates that the G11778A mutation was itself insufficient to produce a clinical phenotype. The absence of secondary LHON mtDNA mutations suggest that these mtDNA haplogroup-specific variants may not play an important role in the phenotypic expression of the G11778A mutation in those Chinese families with very low penentrace of vision loss. However, nuclear backgrounds and environmental factors seem to be modifying factors for the phenotypic manifestation of the G11778A mutation in these Chinese families.

Dataset Information

Peculiar combinations of individually non-pathogenic missense mitochondrial DNA variants cause low penetrance Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

Publications

Peculiar combinations of individually non-pathogenic missense mitochondrial DNA variants cause low penetrance Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

Similar Datasets

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